1964 - Portland - call it Turn-9:

Denny in the black Volvo, Dad in the silver BMW (Demo!):



Black Ferrari/Chev (driver later rolled block over on his hand losing all the fingers), Dad in the red TR4-V8:



Scott, who is grateful to Bob Ames for much, not least for these...

 

Pretty great stuff, Scott. Not only wonderful vintage racing pics, but ones to which you have a personal connection. Doesn't get better than that.

I'm struck by the healthy number of spectators AND how close they seem to be to the action.

Casey, who sez it musta been fun to watch road races back in those days. 1964 was probably a good year. Don't remember much about it because I was 4 years old for most of the year....

 

 

 

Post more Scott, we know you have them.

Truly amazing stuff. I was talking with my stepfather about when he used to race with SCCA back around this time, he had some really cool stuff to say about "the good 'ol days of racing." Especially how people "come out Friday night, line this hills in anticipation of the weekends events."

Post more Scott. I think we all enjoy them very much!

 

TR-4 V8? Didn't know such a beat existed. Was it a Frankenstein-type machine, or did the factory make some for racing?

 

Don't really have too many of this kind of racing shot. I've posted most of the best one's.

I think that decent action photography wasn't as common then as now. Most of what I've got came from Photog's.

The TR4-V8 was a Frankenstein. It got a brand new 289 Ford crate motor. It was my Dad's idea, inspired by traditional hot rodder mentality (which is where he'd come from), and the Cobra's. He figured they'd sell more TR4's to spectators who were impressed by the race car. I don't know, but I suspect that that was a bit of a rationalization.

The dealership had been a motorcycle shop in the 40's and 50's with a tradition of relating racing to sales thru sponsorship. That attitude carried thru the transition to selling imported sports cars in the 60's.

It was a different and in some ways better time. I grew up driving Alfa's and a 59-69' Alfa compared favorably from a drivers point of view to anything I drove from Japan - until the late 80's.

I think my Dad would have been blown away by my ITR.

Scott, who is glad you enjoy the pics...I wish I had more...

 

It reminds me of some old racing videos i use to see when i use to live in Russia.